Species (1995) – Roger Donaldson

The cast, and some of the top-notch names behind the camera somehow got involved in this messy sci-fi erotic thriller, that somehow spawned a series of sequels. In front of the camera you have Ben Kingsley, Forest Whitaker, Michael Madsen, Alfred Molina Marg Helgenberger, a very young Michelle Williams and Natasha Henstridge in her first…

The Sure Thing (1985) – Rob Reiner

Somehow, this Rob Reiner film got by me for decades. I was lucky enough to nab a copy on blu-ray and was more than ready to dig into. As I watched it, it put me in mind of It Happened One Night. It’s a road movie rom-com. We get John Cusack, Daphne Zuniga, Anthony Edwards,…

Dial M for Murder (1954) – Alfred Hitchcock

Hitchcock pairs with writer Frederick Knott to bring his stage play, Dial M for Murder to the big screen in this captivating and thrilling adaptation. The film features a top-tier cast, the luminous Grace Kelly, Ray Milland, Robert Cummings and John Williams. Everyone has secrets in this engaging film. Kelly is Margot Wendice, a wealthy…

The Foreigner (2017) – Martin Campbell

Martin Campbell seems to be a hit or miss director, and you have to wonder if it’s his choice of projects. I love his work with the Bond franchise, and I quite enjoyed his take on Zorro. But I also remember how much I hated Vertical Limit and (of course) Green Lantern. Pairing him up…

Frailty (2001) – Bill Paxton

I miss Bill Paxton. Sure, I never actually got to meet the man, but I loved his work. And It has been forever since I watched his film Frailty, so why not a revisit? Damn, this one is still a solid film. Mr. Meiks (Matthew McConaughey) comes to see FBI agent Wesley Doyle (Powers Boothe)….

TIFF 25: EPiC – Elvis Presley in Concert dir. Baz Luhrmann

Acclaimed director brings Elvis Presley to the big screen (or the biggest screen if you can see it in IMAX) in a way you’ve never seen before. A look at his Vegas residency concerts, by putting you in a front row seat for the show. With a quick recap of his career the concert film…

Deep Cover (1992) – Bill Duke

Bill Duke directs a gritty, rough and tumble cop film, and does it incredibly well. It’s an entertaining and brutal ride, and lets Laurence Fishburne shine. Fishburne plays Russell Stevens, a cop recruited by Carver (Charles Martin Smith) to go undercover as a drug dealer in order to get close to Barbosa (Gregory Sierra) and…

Terrifier (2016) – Damien Leone

Let’s get this out of the way, Art the Clown is a very cool creation, and a very deadly mime. That being said, the narrative around the character and the way the film is shot left a little to be desired. Trapped in a rough script, the film is luridly garish, but its uninspired cinematography…

The Birdcage (1996) – Mike Nichols

I remember seeing this in the theater when it first came out and having a great time with it in the company of my friends. I hadn’t seen it since until I decided to revisit it. And damn, if it not only still entertains, but that the politics are sadly still prevalent. Pairing Robin Williams…

Ravenous (1999) – Antonia Bird

I like Robert Carlyle, I like Guy Pearce, and there’s some really horrific stuff in this film, but I have to be honest, the musical score kept ejecting me from the film. Beyond that it’s a tightly crafted film about cannibals, using the story of the Donner Party as a loose launching point. Guy Pearce…